A Very Obake Christmas
by SpongeGuy
Summary: Obake and Momakase share an odd Christmas. An AU where our villains may not be so bad. A gift for a friend.


"I hate snow."

Momakase had spent much of her life in England, way before she turned into the most feared mercenary of San Fransokyo (though how much of that was what she really wanted she still wasn't sure).

So it came as a bit of a surprise to herself that the statement was actually uttered by the scarred man beside her, the glow from his face illuminating the sky almost as well as the street lamps.

"You hate snow?"

A knife suddenly cut down a branch, snapping it in half.

No reason, really, it was just fun!

Momakase turned to him with a face full of snark. "I would never have guessed."

Obake sneered. He had no time for such frivolities. In fact, he wasn't sure why he had agreed to this walk.

"Father, if you never stretch your muscles, you'll never be able to properly lead your revolution! Also, I'd like some "me" time, and Uncle Globby rented "Cadet Kelly", so…"

Ah yes. Trina. Why had he built her again?

For a moment, he cringed. That was dark. He knew why he built her. He truly wanted her.

But…

He sighed.

The snow crunched under his boots and Momakase went eerily silent as Obake wondered what was wrong with him.

For the last month and a half, he had been making leaps and stride with his plan: To destroy San Fransokyo and start again, creating a new society born from the ashes, fearless, bold, daring!

An age of geniuses, it would be!

One where the weak and cowardly would be gone, one where only those who dared to attempt would guide the people!

And he would lead them all, a messiah, a savior…

A teacher.

Obake had been dreaming of this for decades, ever since the accident that had freed him.

…Why was he beginning to feel doubts?

"You're awfully quiet, even for you."

Oh, yes. She was still here.

Obake let out a breath that floated across the air as the ninja woman besides him smirked once more.

Of the 3 minions he had hired, Momakase was the most competent and least annoying.

Somehow, she still got on his nerves, though.

Globby was infuriatingly friendly, but at least he listened to commands.

Noodle Burger Boy had made the unfortunate assumption that he was Obake's son, and Obake wasn't sure how he was going to shut that down after the plan succeeded, but at least he too listened to orders.

But Momakase was different; always arguing back, debating, offering counters to his plans and counter counters to his counters.

For all his life, everyone Obake knew was a step behind him, even the very promising Hiro Hamada.

But Momakase? She seemed to actually keep up.

Obake didn't know if he should be concerned about that.

All he did know was that the park they had stopped at was way too cold for stopping at.

Looking up, Obake could see that it was totally dark.

No one was around at all, and if his watch wasn't wrong (and it WASN'T), it was past midnight.

Even saviors needed sleep. Until, of course, he invented a solution for that so he can never stop working.

"I should probably head back.", he commented, but Momakase was already sitting down.

Turning around, she patted the seat with a cocky grin. "Oh, but I don't want to miss this view!"

Rolling his eyes, Obake pointed at his watch. "Believe it or not, I have very important things to do. They do not include sitting on a cold bench watching a natural occurrence occur, least of all with you."

He too attempted a cocky grin, but Momaskase was not giving in.

Making a sort of pouty face, her British accent popping out a little, she retorted. "Oh, I'm sure you can spare us some time!

Obake massaged his temples. Here she was again, ignoring a direct order. If he couldn't get an underling to cooperate, how was he going to lead the new world order?

"Well, that's good. You shouldn't do it…", a voice whispered, but as Obake turned around, eyes darting for once in surprise and not in boredom, he was actually startled to find no one there.

It couldn't have been Momakase; who had said it?

Meanwhile, she was still sitting there.

Obake sighed; he didn't have much of a choice, did he?

"Fine.", he muttered and he sat down, regretting immediately.

Cold seats were no fun, no matter what your alignment was.

As Obake shivered, Momakase suddenly began to talk in an odd tone.

"You know, I'm not just hired muscle."

Obake turned to her, annoyed. "I know: that's the problem. You refuse to listen."

"I mean…", she cut him sharply, but thankfully no knives were involved.

She continued. "I mean… You see me as just cattle to lead, like all the rest. But if you want a perfect society, you're going to have to allow SOME freedom."

"Oh, this is rich.", Obake commented, and Momakase raised an eyebrow.

"How come?", she asked, and he quickly shot back.

"Well, let's see: In order for me to amass total control of society so that I can guide it properly, I am supposed to allow them to make decisions?"

He stood up, almost surveying his future territory. "Humanity is disappointing: Every time it gets an opportunity to move forwards it chooses to leap back and hide in the dark. Like a cold and wounded animal."

He almost wanted to retch, it was horrid!

"They are sheep. They need a sheapard to lead them. Guide them."

He closed his eyes, thinking of the prodigy only he could turn great.

"Mold them."

His speech finished, Obake sat down, but Momakase just kept on, as if his words meant nothing to her!

"Well, yes and no."

Obake wanted to argue back, but it was easier to just listen and ignore, so that's what he did.

Momakase adopted an oddly sentimental face as she spoke, her tone not one Obake was used to from her.

"Most people are trash… But some aren't too bad. I understand your motivations, but I do think that if you truly want to create a great society, you need to be tough and firm… But also nurturing."

Obake let out a chuckle, shaking his head, despite a small voice still bugging him in his ear. "Really? You, the killer ninja, is lecturing me about nurture? About giving people a chance?"

Obake had not expected this from Momakase, but it was actually the knife that surprised him most.

"You don't know anything about me. I'm not just a killer. I'm… I'm…"

Her growl was slowly replaced with hesitation. With doubt.

Layers she had hid for long were threatening to reveal themselves.

Withdrawing the knife, she sat down again and sighed.

"I am more than a killer. Besides…"

She sighed, the cold very much bothering her now.

"I only did it once. And I'll never do it again."

It was almost like a child, her apology. One could not help but feel a tinge of sympathy, even Obake.

Wait, that doesn't make sense, he's not supposed to, what's going on?

Whatever.

It will all clear out soon.

Must be the weather. Stupid snow.

"I… I see."

Silence reigned as Obake wondered what had he gotten himself into and Momakase began to reminisce.

"You know… It's funny…"

"What is?"

Momakase felt the knife in her hand, but she was caressing it for once.

"Christmas is always presented as such a joy… But I've only had one good one."

Obake didn't like talking about Christmas, but not for some cliché villain reason: In fact, his only real memory of it was one he didn't want to visit for very unexpected reasons.

But Momakase wasn't stopping.

"Every Christmas, I go out and perform some kind of job… Every Christmas I ended up getting hurt in some way, be it a fight or…"

She clutched herself. Whatever it was, it was something she wouldn't lightly share.

"But… One time… It ended nicely."

Obake didn't want to ask, but he found his voice box emitting forighn sounds.

"How so?"

Momakase looked at the night sky, feeling almost safe.

"I was sent to rob some florist by some mobster with a stick up his arse…"

_Momakase in the past leapt down silently and crept in to the store, ready to make with the stealing._

"…I made a different choice…"

_The woman managing the store was not being handled in a way fitting a person._

_This of course, was what happened to her attackers._

_Picking her up, Momakase felt an odd surge. She had done something good._

_This would end up badly, she would have to keep her tracks low to avoid any attacks from her boss and…_

_"__Th…Thank you…", the manager said, a weak smile as she looked up at her rescuer._

_Momakase couldn't help but smile back. It was worth it._

_A few minutes later, finding herself under mistletoe, it became even more worth it…_

"…I never saw her again, she didn't need to be burdened by me."

A longing sigh.

"But… I can't help but wonder what if…"

Obake was surprised at the frankness of his worker.

Why on earth had she opened herself up for?

Even worse…

Why was he about to do the same?

"I…"

No. Don't do it.

"I…"

No! You are not her friend, not her confidante!

"I…"

NO! YOU ARE THE SAVIOR! YOU CAN'T CONFIDE! YOU CAN'T!

But for once, a small voice that had been quiet for decades opened up.

"I too… Had one good Christmas."

Momakase turned with a startle, and observed her boss with new eyes. "Obake, sharing something from himself?"

She sat with her arms under her chin, now VERY interested.

"DO share, love!"

Obake wanted to hit himself for being so dumb, but it was too late…

"It was before… Before I found my vo… Came up with my plan."

Obake didn't say much… He would not reveal it all…

But Momakase could fill in the blanks.

"…Back when I was at SFIT, I much preferred staying in my dorms, especially in Christmas. I didn't take the home for the holidays option… I found my lab much more warm anyway…"

What was he doing?

"And… One Christmas… Just a few months before…"

He pointed at his glowing face.

"…This… I found my privacy invaded."

He was doing something insane! He had to stop!

But…

Somehow…

He also didn't want to stop.

"I had always known Professor Granville to be an astute mentor… At least, until she grew cold feet…"

Why did that not feel as assured as ever?

"But I must admit…"

_Bob Aken's sunken eyes had never seen such a spread._

_Certainly not back home._

_Surely no one could calculate what was more enticing: The basted turkey or the frosted chocolate cake!_

_But even a teenager like Bob couldn't help but look at the present under the tree._

_…__Had she done all this for him?_

_The green and red lights flickered as he entered her lab, feeling oddly warm despite the storm outside._

_Standing with her hands clasped, Professor Grace Granville feigned surprise. "Well! It seems as if someone has mistaken my office for my house back in Shimammoto street!"_

_A fake sigh, and she sat down. "Well, I can't let all this go to waste!"_

_A twinkle in her eyes. It haunted him._

_"__Would you care to join me? I surely can't finish all this by myself, Robert."_

_Bob stammered._

_Kindness had not yet been discovered by him._

_"__Are… Are you sure?"_

_An outstretched hand turned an hour later into a hug._

_"__I would be honored…"_

"…"

Obake stopped talking.

He stood up.

"I must go. I have a long day tomorrow."

Momakase too began to leave, but she smiled at him.

"You know… Perhaps you really are the villain of this story…"

She smiled as she leapt into the night and disappeared into the alleyways.

Her words continued to echo as he walked down the street.

"…But I feel like deep down, there's a person behind the Obake…"

Obake sighed, wondering what was wrong with him.

He was the savior of his city, the one who would free it of it's limitations, the one whose name would go down in history!

But as he walked on the snow, Obake was feeling that someone who he thought was dead was coming back.

And if Bob Aken was still alive…

Then who was he?


End file.
